Samba, Moderna Vaccine Contract Manufacturing... Korea-US Establish 'Global Vaccine Partnership' (Update)

US Vaccine Technology and Raw Material Supply Capacity
Combined with South Korea's Biopharmaceutical Production Strengths
"Accelerating Global Production and Supply of COVID-19 Vaccines"

Establishing a Comprehensive 'Hanmi Global Vaccine Partnership'

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Ji-hee] Taking advantage of the Korea-US summit, the two countries will strengthen vaccine cooperation between their governments and companies. By combining the strengths of the US's vaccine development technology and raw material supply capabilities with South Korea's biopharmaceutical production capacity, they plan to accelerate the global production and supply of COVID-19 vaccines and engage in technological cooperation to enhance global health security capabilities.

On the 21st (local time), the leaders of Korea and the US agreed to establish a comprehensive "Korea-US Global Vaccine Partnership" through their summit meeting. The partnership is named the "KORUS Global Vaccine Partnership." To support this practically, a Korea-US Global Vaccine Partnership expert group composed of scientists, experts, and officials will also be established.

The Ministry of Health and Welfare and the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy held a "Korea-US Vaccine Partnership" event on the 22nd at 10 a.m. local time (11 p.m. Korean time on the 22nd) at the Willard InterContinental Hotel in Washington DC, USA, with President Moon Jae-in in attendance. The event was attended by Minister Kwon Deok-cheol of the Ministry of Health and Welfare, Minister Moon Seung-wook of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, SK Chairman Chey Tae-won, Samsung Biologics CEO John Rim, US Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra, Novavax Chairman Stanley Erck, and Moderna CEO St?phane Bancel, among others. During the event, a total of four contracts and memorandums of understanding (MOUs) were signed between the governments and companies of both countries.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Samsung Biologics and Moderna Contract for Vaccine Contract Manufacturing: "Discussions on Moderna's Investment in Korea Also Accelerate"

First, Samsung Biologics and Moderna signed a contract for contract manufacturing of COVID-19 vaccines. Through this contract, Samsung Biologics will produce and supply hundreds of millions of doses worldwide by filling Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine bulk drug substance into finished products. After technology transfer and trial production, mass production is expected to be possible from the third quarter of this year.

Next, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, the Ministry of Health and Welfare, and Moderna signed an MOU for cooperation on potential investment and production discussions related to Moderna in Korea. The main points include ▲ Moderna's efforts to invest in mRNA vaccine production facilities in Korea and hire Korean personnel, and ▲ the Korean government's support for Moderna's investment activities and business cooperation within Korea. The government expects that this MOU signing will accelerate discussions on Moderna's investment in Korea and contribute to enhancing Korea's infectious disease response capabilities upon successful investment.

Cooperation in production and research and development among the government, Novavax, and Moderna will also be intensified. First, the Ministry of Health and Welfare, SK Bioscience, and Novavax signed an MOU on vaccine development and production. Novavax's vaccine is a recombinant protein-based vaccine, and Novavax is currently developing vaccines for COVID-19 variants and combined influenza vaccines. The government anticipates that public-private cooperation with Novavax will aid not only the development of next-generation vaccines to respond to variants but also the stable supply of vaccines using SK Bioscience's domestic production facilities.

Additionally, the Korea National Institute of Health under the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency signed an MOU with Moderna for research cooperation related to mRNA vaccines. Specifically, they agreed to collaborate on developing mRNA vaccine research programs and conducting preclinical and clinical studies to respond to infectious diseases with high demand and disease burden in Korea, such as COVID-19 variants and tuberculosis.

On the 21st (U.S. local time), Kwon Deok-cheol, Minister of Health and Welfare (left), and Xavier Becerra, U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services, held a preliminary bilateral meeting and took a commemorative photo. (Photo by Ministry of Health and Welfare)

Expansion of Korea-US Health and Medical Cooperation

On the 21st at 3 p.m. (4 a.m. Korean time on the 22nd), Minister Kwon Deok-cheol of the Ministry of Health and Welfare and US Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra held a preliminary bilateral meeting. At this meeting, the health ministers of Korea and the US shared the recognition that the rapid distribution of COVID-19 vaccines is crucial for the swift global overcoming of COVID-19 and agreed to strengthen cooperation related to vaccine production and global supply according to the leaders' agreement. They also discussed the composition plan for the "Korea-US Global Vaccine Partnership Expert Group" to conduct practical discussions on the contents agreed upon at the Korea-US summit.

The Ministry of Health and Welfare explained, "This meeting was the first face-to-face meeting between health ministers since the US Secretary of Health and Human Services took office," and added, "It will serve as an opportunity to confirm and strengthen the close health and medical cooperation relationship between Korea and the US."

Efforts to expand health and medical cooperation between the two countries to contribute to global health security response and strengthen health governance will also be expanded. As part of efforts to prevent, detect, and respond to international health crises, the two countries agreed to strengthen their participation in the Global Health Security Agenda (GHSA), which they have been involved in since 2014. Korea plans to newly contribute 200 million dollars over the next five years.

The two countries also plan to promptly proceed with revising the Korea-US Health and Medical Cooperation Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between their health ministries. The Korea-US Health and Medical Cooperation MOU, first signed in 2003, has been revised twice, in 2009 and 2015. The new MOU will add areas such as vaccine and pharmaceutical development for emerging infectious diseases, digital healthcare, and the biohealth industry, in addition to existing cooperation fields like public health, maternal and child health, and chronic diseases.

Minister Kwon also met with members of the Korea-US Life Sciences Association, including Chairman Luke Oh, during this schedule to discuss cooperation plans related to life sciences between the two countries and to hear opinions on the development of Korea's bioindustry.

Minister Kwon stated, "Through President Moon Jae-in's visit, the cooperation relationship between Korea and the US regarding COVID-19 vaccines has been further strengthened," and added, "If South Korea, which has world-class pharmaceutical production capabilities, cooperates with the US, which possesses the best vaccine development technology, it will greatly help not only the rapid production and supply of vaccines for the swift global overcoming of COVID-19 but also South Korea's leap forward as a global vaccine hub."

Minister Moon Seung-wook of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy also said, "We will actively support the establishment of a stable ecosystem across the industry by fostering raw material companies, attracting investments from leading global companies, and training bio process personnel."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.